East Jerusalem, 14 October 2019-- UN-Habitat and the European Union recently launched two new projects in Palestine under the rubric: Achieving Planning and Land Rights in Area C, West Bank, with a total budget of USD 4.4 million.

Area C represents 60 percent of the land in the West Bank and is home to more than 300,000 Palestinians; it contains valuable natural and historical resources. The expected results are to improve resilience and tenure security of Palestinian communities through spatial economic planning and mapping of land rights; and strengthened capacity of Palestinian institutions to perform land-based functions and delivery of essential services in the West Bank territory.

The first project is a continuation of spatial planning support to Palestinian communities, and it includes policy support in terms of the preparation of a nation-wide Urban Policy for the State of Palestine, including Gaza Strip, occupied East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank. These interventions are designed and will be implemented with Palestine Ministry of Local Government over a period of 24 months.

The second project will be delivered in partnership with the Land and Water Settlement Commission and technical support will be provided by the Global Land Tool Network. The project includes the finalization of land registration processes in the West Bank territory and building a fit-for-purpose land information system, all in all over a period of 48 months.

Achieving planning and rights is a priority agreed in the Habitat Country Programme Document (2018-2022) and ultimately would contribute to realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (in particular, SDG 11 and SDG 16) and the New Urban Agenda that were adopted by State of Palestine in 2015 and 2016, respectively.